Shelton: `Hardest Worker' Now Tribe's All-time Rusher

HARRISONBURG — The way Tyrone Shelton broke William and Mary's career rushing record Saturday afternoon at Bridgeforth Stadium seemed fitting.

Shelton wasn't flashy. He simply worked long enough and ran hard enough to accomplish his task and lead the Tribe to a 31-21 victory against James Madison.

"Right now everything on my mind is the win," Shelton said in his typically modest way. "It's great to have the record, but it's really a tribute to everybody - the line, the coaching staff, the receivers. Everybody is responsible."

Shelton carried the ball 23 times for 93 yards, and now has 2,408 career rushing yards. He broke Jim Kruis's record of 2,404 yards, a mark that had stood for 13 years. With 44 yards rushing next week at Richmond, Shelton can go over the 1,000-yard mark for the season for the first time in his W&M career.

"It's a tribute to Tyrone, but also to a lot of people in our program," W&M coach Jimmye Laycock said.

The line's anchor, guard and captain Reggie White, spoke of how a determined running back can inspire a group of linemen.

"We give our backs a hole," White said, "and they're through it almost immediately and breaking tackles in the secondary. It's easy to block for someone like Tyrone, because he'll never give you anything but his best."

Shelton, 5-foot-11 and 217 pounds, was a 180-pound projected linebacker when he arrived on W&M's campus as a freshman. More than anything else, the Tribe players credit Shelton's success to his hard work and desire to be great.

"What makes Tyrone great is that he never stops trying to improve," said tailback Robert Green, whose 155 yards rushing on the day gave him 2,380 for his career. "He's the hardest worker on the team, and he's determined to be the best he can be every time he touches the ball. You don't find that with many people.

"He used to run straight ahead, but he's learned how to read defenses, and he makes moves now. I don't know what other people think, but I think he's going to be in the pros. If he adds just a couple of more pounds, they'll have a tough time stopping him."

Shelton is not only strong, he has run 4.5 in the 40-yard dash. His combination of power and speed make him tough to bring down.

"We had a locker next to each other as freshmen," said wide receiver Mark Compher, "and he seemed to put on five pounds every day. He was always in the weight room, always working. A lot of people are great athletes, but the difference is he does a lot with it."

Shelton has set an impressive example for the younger W&M players to follow.

"Tyrone will be in the weight room sometimes, and people will just stop and watch," said free safety Eric Lambert, whose interception at the end of the game prevented the Dukes from tying the game with a touchdown. "He's a pretty quiet guy, but he leads by example."

Perhaps the best assessment of Shelton comes from a fellow captain, defensive end Alan Garlic. "If you asked me to describe Tyrone in one word, I'd say driven," Garlic said. "He's driven in absolutely everything he does, and that's why he's been able to achieve such success."